When did the German language start?

The history of the German language goes back to about the first century AD when Germanic peoples began to settle in the area of present-day Germany, Denmark, and the Netherlands. The language they spoke was a common Germanic language, known as Proto-Germanic. Over the centuries, Proto-Germanic developed and changed into the various Germanic languages that we have today, including German, English, Dutch, and Scandinavian languages.

Old High German is considered to be the earliest form of German and was spoken from about the 6th to the 11th century. It was followed by Middle High German, which was spoken from about the 11th to the 14th century. Modern German developed from Middle High German and has been spoken since about the 14th century.

The German language has been continuously used for well over a thousand years and has undergone significant changes over time, such as the development of distinct regional dialects and the influence of other languages, including Latin and French.